A red-carded amateur footballer has been jailed for 24 weeks for driving his car onto the pitch and forcing the referee to dive out of the way.

Joseph Rimmer swore at David Harkness when he dismissed him and as he walked off he told another player he was going to run the ref over.

He then drove his Range Rover across one pitch, where another game was taking place, to where his team were playing, causing terrified players and spectators to scatter.

As the ref hid in the goalmouth area, 28-year-old Rimmer did 'donuts', twice spinning his 4x4 around in 360 degree circles.

Jailing and banning him from driving for two years, Judge Brian Lewis said, 'This was a disgraceful incident.

'It will not be tolerated and that message must be absolutely unequivocal. I do not accept it was simply conduct to get the game abandoned.

'You were driving the car to frighten people, terrify them.'

'You work hard, holding down a job and have got a family, all of which makes this conduct even more inexplicable.'

Rimmer, from Melling in Merseyside, snapped while playing for Lonsdale against Southport and District league rivals Harrington in February.

Derek Clarke, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court he threatened the referee after his appeal for a foul was rejected.

Mr Clarke alleged that Rimmer said: 'If you book me or send me off you know what will happen.' 'He swore at the ref and called him a cheat and repeated 'if you send me off you know what will happen'.

'The referee took the cards out of his pocket intending to send him off. Without giving him the chance Rimmer said 'I'm going to run you down' and walked off before the ref could formally dismiss but he did do so a few moments later.'

Mr Clarke said Rimmer walked across the neighbouring pitch where a game was taking place and told one player, 'watch me run the f****** ref over.'

He got into his Range Rover and drove across both pitches and although the referee got out of his way he came within five yards of him.

After spinning the car around he got out and made the shape of a gun towards the ref and said, 'I'm going to shoot you.'

Another player heard him say, 'He was going to get a bullet.'

Rimmer voluntarily surrendered himself to police two days later. He denied making threats.

The court heard that Mr Harkness, who had been a referee for 35 years, said he was not sure he would be able to continue that role.

He said his health had suffered and he had trouble sleeping as he was afraid Rimmer would carry out his threat to shoot him and was worried for his family's safety.

:laughup::laughup::laughup::laughup:

TommyGunn

11-24-2010, 07:28 PM

Mofo the pussy hid in the goal mouth :laughup:

Mofo2

11-24-2010, 10:30 PM

I was behind the changing rooms :cop:

ulster86

11-24-2010, 10:47 PM

Quality :rofl:

Jord

11-27-2010, 01:44 PM

:sad: The poor driver in trouble for running over a pedophile aka Mofo? This ain't no democracy we live in!